More than 10,000 migrant workers stranded in Nagaland

Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 2 (EMN): Over ten thousand migrant workers are stranded in at least four districts of Nagaland, excluding Dimapur, with Kohima municipal area alone accounting for 8,978 of them, as per records available with the Nagaland state control room for coronavirus (Covid-19) preparedness.

The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) has set up the control room in Kohima to keep track of Covid-19 related reports, including number of persons screened; collecting and documenting reports received from within and outside of state; responding to emergency calls etc., on a daily basis since the lockdown.

Officials and staff of NSDMA, NCS officers, home guards, and DIPR are operating the control room.

Officer on Special Duty to NSDMA, Johnny Ruangmei on Thursday informed that 10,377 migrant workers were stranded in Phek, Kohima, Mon, and Mokokchung. As per data received from the Kohima Municipal Council, a total of 8978 migrant workers are under Kohima municipal area, he said.

In Mokokchung district, around 887 migrant workers were recorded from various areas like Tuli, Mokokchung town, Merangkong etc. Around 429 migrant workers from Phek and 83 from Mon were also recorded, Ruangmei added.

The other districts are yet to submit the list of stranded workers in their respective areas. Taking note of the fact that majority of migrant population is based in Dimapur, he said it is difficult to take stock of data. Similar control rooms are being set up at district levels as well and daily reports are collected from all districts, he added.

The team does not keep track of stranded Nagas in other states, he informed. However, distress and emergency calls received from the control room are relayed to the chief secretary’s office.

Meanwhile, Kohima Deputy Commissioner Gregory Thejawelie has appealed to sub-division officers to collect the data of labourers and daily wage earners (both locals and non-locals), in order to supply them with ‘most essential commodities to sustain the lockdown period’.